U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,335 discloses a multi-contact connector housing having a mating side and a conductor receiving side which is provided with rows of electrical contact terminals to which are terminated wires of a multi-conductor cable. The connector includes a removable cover which includes grooves extending axially along the internal sides, the grooves conforming to the rows of contact terminals having the wires terminated thereto. The cover is applied to the connector housing by aligning the grooves with the rows of terminals and sliding the cover grooves axially over the rows of terminals. The cover conforms to the rows of terminals, thereby retaining the conductors in electrical connection with the terminals. The semicircular cable support is integral with one end of the cover. A cable jacket containing the terminated conductors is impinged against the cable support and is secured thereto by an encircling strap type cable clamp. A semicircular shim is inserted under the clamp so that the shim and cable support cooperate to encircle and to grip the cable under the clamp. The strap is anchored by a threaded fastener passing through one end of the cover.
The mating side of the connector can be a plug configuration or a receptacle configuration. The mating side of the connector is separated from the conductor receiving side by an integral flange completely encircling the connector. A plug and a receptacle are intermated and locked together with threaded fasteners passing through the flanges. One fastener also passes through a flange on one end of each cover, opposite the end provided with the cable clamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,051 discloses an improved connector design eliminating a number of loose parts that must be assembled. A cable support is provided as an integral extension of the cover. A pressure pad cooperates with the cable support to encircle the cable. The cable support and pressure pad are encircled by a tightened cable strap. The cable support is contoured to seat firmly the cable strap therein. The pressure pad is slotted to recess the cable strap and the enlarged head thereof. In this manner the cable strap is compactly assembled and is firmly anchored against slippage.
In each of the above connectors a strap is required to anchor the cable to a cable support of a corresponding housing. In addition a shim or pressure plate must be located under the tensioned strap in order to grip effectively the cable. The strap is relied upon to retain the pressure pad and to place gripping pressure upon the cable.